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 The
ship was far away. I was alone in the wide, empty sea. I do not know
how long I was in my barrel, but at last I woke up on a wide white
beach. Where am I? I thought. If I climb a tree, perhaps I can see
something.
I climbed a tree and looked around.
Far away I saw a huge shining white dome. There must be a church
over there! I cried. I walked very fast on my poor, tired legs,
towards the dome.
When I arrived I found no doors or
windows. The whole dome was as white and smooth as an egg. I did not
understand it.
Suddenly the sky grew dark. Was it a
rain cloud? I looked up and saw a huge bird, larger than the biggest
cloud you have ever seen. It was a great giant of a bird: the
largest bird in all the world. Then I realized what it was-the
church was a bird's egg!
Before I could run away the bird flew
down and sat on its egg. I was a prisoner under its great hot body.
My turban fell off my head.
That made me think of a plan. I tied
myself to the bird's foot with the cloth of my turban. I prayed to
God to help me, and then I went to sleep.
 When
I woke the wind was blowing past my ears. I was hanging under the
bird's foot. There was nothing except empty air between me and the
ground!
Every beat of the bird's great wings
was carrying me higher. I looked down and saw the egg. It looked as
small as a toy. I shut my eyes again and began to pray.
Up and up we went. The air grew thin
and cold. When I opened my eyes, the bird was flying slowly, very
close to the ground. I untied my turban from its foot and jumped
down.
I fell into a strange, lonely place.
There were black rocks everywhere: no trees, no grass, no water. I
cried to God, Oh, Father, why did you save me from the sea?
Was that death too gentle for me?
I looked round. There were great walls
of rock all around me. They were very high and there was nowhere to
climb up. I was sure I could never get out.
Suddenly something moved beside a
rock. It was a snake. I saw many more snakes asleep on the hot
rocks.
One of them woke and began to move
towards me. I picked up a stone to throw at it. Then I looked at the
stone and my mouth fell open with surprise. It was a huge beautiful
diamond: bigger than the biggest diamond you have ever seen!
Everywhere I looked the ground was covered with diamonds and other
jewels. What a place! I said to myself. Snakes---and diamonds!''
Just then a large bird flew down and
caught one of the snakes. The others moved away. They were
frightened of birds.
 Just
then something heavy fell down on the ground beside me. At first I
thought it was one of the big birds then I realized it was a piece
of meat.
Later I understood what happening. The
people who live in that place want the diamonds, but they are afraid
of the snakes. They throw large pieces of meat down. Some of the
diamonds stick to the meat. When the large birds come, they carry
the meat and the diamonds out of that horrible place.
I saw a way to escape. I filled my
pockets with diamonds then I took the piece of meat in both hands.
and held it up. One of the birds flew down to get the meat. It
lifted the piece of meat--and me--off the ground and flew towards
its nest. its badly was waiting {that baby was as big as a sheep}.
The bird began to tear up the meat to give to its baby. I thought it
would tear me up and give me to the baby, too.
 Suddenly
I heard shouts. Stones flew into the nest. The bird dropped the meat
and flew away. A face looked at me over the edge of the nest.
Now you know how the people get the diamonds. Brave (or greedy) men
climb up to the bird's nests. They frighten the birds away and take
the jewels. Some people will do anything for money!
There are no diamonds in this nest, my friend, I said to the man. He
was too surprised t answer. Forgive me, I went on, I do not want to
frighten you. Just help me to get out of here! I have many beautiful
diamonds in my pockets. I shall be glad to give you half of them.
That man was a true friend to me. He helped me fowl from the bird's
nest. He gave me clean clothes and good food. He helped me to sell
my jewels. I had enough money to buy six beautiful ships.
I wanted to sail to Baghdad, but we were a long way from home. No
one knew of such a place. I found captains for my ships and filled
them with treasure. I sent them to all the four corners of the world
to look for Baghdad. I was sure that, one day, they must hear news
of my home. I myself got into the biggest treasure ship of all. We
sailed with the wind. God makes the wind blow, I said I hope He will
send me home.
 One
morning we saw an island. Fresh water at last, I said. The captain
shook his head. I don't think I like this place he said.
Suddenly a small ship came towards us top speed. Its sailors were as
small as monkeys. There were hundreds of them and they came out our
ship and fought with us.
Soon we were all prisoners on our own ship. The little money-men
sailed our ship to the island. Its name was Zugb--five of them could
carry one of our sailors easily--and took us to the beach. There
they left us. Then they got into my lovely ship and sailed away.
Well I said to the captain we have lost our ship and our treasure,
but we still have our lives. The captain did not answer. He was
praying.
I looked round. Behind the beach was a very large house with a very
high wall all round it. The great iron gate was open, so we went
inside.
We looked for somewhere to sleep. We saw no one, but there were
white bones one the ground. Are they for the dogs? I said The
captain went very white and said nothing.
 Soon
we heard a noise like thunder. A huge ugly man came through the
gates. He was bigger than an elephant and much uglier. He was a
great giant: the tallest, fattest, ugliest, hungriest giant in the
world! He locked the gayest behind him with a large key.
The giant lit a fire in the yard
outside his house. He sat down beside it, and looked at us.
He was not surprised to see us. He was
not surprised to see us.
Suddenly I realized: the monkey's
often brought poor sailors to him. Now I knew where the bones came
from.
He picked me up in one hand and felt
my arms and legs.
Too thin, he shouted. He picked up our
fattest sailor. That poor man was our cook. The giant cooked him. He
put him on a long metal stick and held him over the fire. Then he
ate the poor man. After his meal the giant fell asleep.
This went on for many days. The giant
gave us food and water; he wanted u to be fat. Every morning he went
out and locked his gates behind him. Every evening he ate one of us
for supper.
 I
thought of a plan. We must make a ladder, I said and escape over the
wall. We used benches from the giant's kitchen. Later if we are
lucky I said we can use them as a boat. The benches made a good long
ladder.
That night the giant fell asleep after
his supper, and I began the other half of my plan. I got two long
metal sticks. (You will remember the giant cooked his food on them).
We put them in the fire until they were white-hot. Then two of us
ran with the white-hot sticks and pushed them into the giant's eyes.
He roared with pain and jumped up. Of
course he was blind but he could still hear us. Quick! I called.
Over the wall! We climbed the ladder. Then we pulled it over the
wall and threw it into the sea. This was our boat. It was not very
good but it was better than nothing.
We sailed all night. At last the moon
went down and the sky in the east grew brighter. I saw something in
front of us; it looked like land.
 Wake
up! I called to the sailors. I can see land. The sea near the land
is quite calm.
In some parts of the world there are
islands like rings of rock around a clam lake. This island looked
like that. We sailed towards it. But suddenly the island came to
life. No it was not another fish. It was a huge snake. It was the
largest snake in the world. Its great head rose out of the water.
Its eyes were hard and cold. It saw us. It opened its mouth, and its
great teeth closed down on six poor sailors. The captain fell into
the water and I never saw him again. I was alone with this horrible
sea snake.
Well, I said to myself, if I am going
to die,, I will use these benches to make a coffin. (In Baghdad,
everyone wants to be buried in a wooden coffin.) I untied the
benches and made them into a long box with a lid. It looked just
like a coffin. I lay in my new coffin and prayed for a quick easy
death.
The sea snake swam round and round my
coffin. It tried to get inside and eat me. but it could not. At last
it swam away.
 I
do not know how long I spent in my coffin. I was alone on the wide.
dangerous sea. At last a ship came past.
Look one of the sailors called to his
friends. There's a box in the water. Shall we see what's inside?
They sent a boat to collect the
coffin. They were very surprised when they found a man inside! I was
more dead than alive. The sailors gave me food and water, then they
let me rest. They were good. kind men who asked no questions. For a
few days I ate, slept and tried to forget that horrible sea snake.
At last I felt able to talk a little.
The sailors were very surprised to hear my story.
So you are from Baghdadis? they said.
Our captain is from Baghdad too. He is a strange man. Do you know,
he has so much treasure, but he won't spend any of it. He says it
belongs to the owner of his ship.
Who is that? I asked.
A man called Sinbad.
 The sailors
told me about Sinbad. He disappeared seven years ago, they said, but
the captain is still waiting for him. Poor Sinbad! A huge fish ate
him. But the captain has never stopped hoping and praying.
I begged the sailors to take me to
their captain. We knew each other at once. He was the very first
captain of my very first ship. So you kept my treasure safe for me.
I said You must have half of it, and when we get back to Baghdad, we
will have a feast.
We had a surprise when we arrived in
Baghdad. I found all my ships waiting for me there. You will
remember that I sent treasure ships to look for Baghdad? Well, every
one arrived there with the treasure. I was as rich as a king.
The captain bought himself a beautiful
ship and went to sea again. I stayed in Baghdad for a time, then I
went to sea again. Many more interesting things happened to
me....but that is enough for one story!
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When
I was still quite young, my father died and left me all his
money. I bought a ship. I paid a captain and some sailors to
work for me. I was sure I was going to make a lot of money.
Suddenly
we heard the voice of the captain. He was awake now. and he
could see what was happening. 
English SMS
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